1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tandem axle vehicles and more particularly to an exterior tire/wheel locking brake for tandem tires.
Many vehicles, such as trucks, tractor trailer trucks and recreation vehicles, are equipped with tandem axles with the tires on either side of the vehicle on such axles disposed in tandem relation with a circumferential portion of the respective forward and rearward tire in relatively close spaced relation. The spacing between the tire may vary from two to twelve inches on different vehicles. Such vehicles are frequently parked for extended periods of time and it is desirable to provide an auxiliary manner of securing such vehicles and/or the tires and wheels thereof against movement of the vehicle and against theft.
This invention provides such a device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most pertinent patent is believed to be my U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,936. This patent discloses a pair of oppositely disposed wedge members moved toward and away from each other by rotating a central control shaft which draws the converging edges of the respective wedge toward the opposite wedge when the device is vertically disposed between the closest portion of the confronting surfaces of tandem tires. This impinges the tire tread surfaces against movement relative to the wedges.
The principal difference between this invention and the above named patent is telescoping members interposed between opposite tire gripping wedge forming panels permitting expanding or retracting the front-to-rear wedge dimension of the wedges of this device for use with a wider range of tandem tire spacing.